Variable-speed gear.



PATENTED OCT. 2, 1906.

J. ARCHER. VARIABLE SPEED GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1904.

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No. 832,442- 4 PATENTED OUT. 2, 1906.

I J. ARCHER.

VARIABLESPEED GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY15. 1904.

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JAMES ARCHER, OF MANGHESTER,'ENGLAND.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1906,

Application filed my 15,1904. Serial No. 216,760.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ARCHER, a sub' j ect of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a residentof Manchester, England, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Variable-Speed Gear for Velocipedes and Road Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

These improvements refer to variablespeed gear for velocipedes and road motorvehicles; and they relate chiefly to that type of variable-speed gear covered by Patent No. 753,785, dated March 1, A. D. 1904, and in which the speed is changed from high to normal and from normal to low by the longitudinal movements of a lanet-cage (comprising planetary gear) and a gear-rin which in one position cause the motion of t e driving member to be transmitted to the wheel-hub via the gear-ring and planet-cage, in another position cause the motion to be transmitted to the hub direct, and in another position cause it to be transmitted via the planet-cage and the gear-ring.

The object of these improvements is generally to simplify and perfect the application of the said gear to the wheel-hub and to render the gear more reliable in action.

Heretofore in fitting the gear to the hub and the hub to its axle, or vice versa, it has been customary to adjust the parts from both ends of the axle, and consequently unless very carefully done there has been a risk of the gears when changing from one speed to another of not always engaging at the right moment or to the right extent and of allowing the pedals to become disconnected t. e., incapable of driving the gear.

According to these improvements the parts are so made and assembled that they can be adjusted from one end only and all in relation practically to one fixed object, thereby making it almost impossible to adjust the. parts to any but the right position, however carelessly assembled.

A further object of the improvements is so to transmit the motion of the driving member to the gear ring or hub that for all three speeds the planet-cage and gear-ring are capable of remaining stationary when free wheeling.

Upon the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate, respectively, longitudinal sections '(in part) of a velocipede-hub fitted with the said type of three-speed gear, but with the parts assembled and'modified according to these improvements. Such views also show the planet-cage and gearing in the three several positions for giving the three speeds, Fig. lshowing the position for the high speed, Fig. 2, the position for the normal speed, and Fig. 3 the position for v the low speed. Fig. 4 illustrates the axle of the hub separately and one of the hub conebearings fixed thereto. Fig. 5 illustrates a part longitudinal section and edge view, and Fig. 6 a part transverse section and end view, of the gear-ring. Fig. 7 illustrates a part longitudinal section and edge view, and Fig. 8 a transverse section, of the hub cup-bearing. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate, respectively, side and end views of the driving member and sprocket-wheel.

As shown, the gear to which the improvements chiefly apply consists, essentially, of a fixed pinion p on the stationary axle p, of a planet-cage k with studs lc carrying pinions 7c, of a gear-ring e with internal teeth e the cage and ring being held loosely together by a nut e the pinions k meshing with the teeth e and the pinion p on the axle. The gear also comprises a driving member a, usually termed the driving-sleeve, to which is secured the chain-wheel r. I By the endwise movement of the planetcage and gear-ring they are designed to bring about the changes of speed, the driving-sleeve having clutchteeth applied directly to its periphery or to the periphery of a disk driven by pawls and ratchet-teethfrom the driving-sleeve and the planet-cage and gear-ring and the hub each having clutch or ratchet teeth which engage or disengage according to the position of the parts.

The planet-cage and gear-rings are moved in one direction by a cord passing through the axle p and by a cross-bar s, projecting at each end through aslot t in the axle, and

are moved in the opposite direction by a ITO In one end of the hub h is screwed a bush 'i, in the inner face of which are ratchet-teeth 7'. Such bush is beveled inwardly at one end and at the other end is flanged and formed to serve as one of the cup-bearings of the hub. In the opposite end of the hub is a further bush m, forming the other cup-bearing for the hub. Upon the axle p is screwed the other hub cone-bearin g which" also acts as a nut. It will now 7 e seen that with the cone Qa fixture and first the driving memher a adjusted to itjth'en' the hub and its cupbearing i, then the cup-bearing m'screwed int'othe hub, and then the'nut or cone 1 tightened up, all the said parts will invaria- 5151 fallinto the sameposition relatively to shown in Fig. 8.

"'Upon the end of the planet-cage are ratchet-teeth Z, slightly beveled at one end,

so that in case of meeting the pawls n the plawls ride up them or are raised'aiitomatic- My Instead of the driving-sleeve a having clutch-teeth or a'ratchet-d i'sl and pawls; as

heretofore, it now is formed with recesses b, each' fo'rr'ned transver'sely'to the shape of ratchet-teeth androunded or inclined at the closedend. (See Figs; 9 and"10".) Part of the outer surface is left plain. Instead also of'being solid the driving-sleeveis' hollowed out,'"chiefly'to reduce weight, and the open ings dfby whichthe studs Yc engagethe sleeve for the high speed, (see Fig. 1,) are formed in the end of the sleeve. (See Figs. 9

Thegear-ring 6 instead of having clutch or ratchet teeth, as heretofore, at the en'dnearest the driving-sleeve, now has two setsof pawlsf and g, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) and it are formed openings 1;, through which the pawlsf project inwardly and slightly'be'yond.

the inner periphery of the ring; (see Fig. 6;)a small spring f behind the outer end of each awl forcing the pawl inward and a small shoulder on the other end engaging the gearring, and thuspre'venting the pawl moving too far inward. The other 'pawls 9 project outward beyond the two annular flanges y, between which they are pivoted, small springs g forcing their outer ends outward until'their'other ends press against the outer faee'ofthe ring.

' With the planet-cage and gear-rin in the wheel-hub and ready for use it will be seen thatwith the cord relaxed the end of the gear-ring will come between the plain part 'ofthe driving-sleeve and the ratchet-teeth j in the bush i, and the studs 78 of the planetcage will be engaged with. the openings (1 of the driver. The planet-cage teeth Z will be clear of the pawls n. In such positionof the parts (see Fi 1) the pawls 9 will engage the teeth of the ush i; but the pawls f will be idle and will ride over the plain part of the driver.

'With the operating-cord pulled and the planet-cage and gear ring drawn a slight distance to the left-hand end'of the hub the pawls f will then come'opposite and move into the recesses b, and the studs'k 'will leave the openings (1, the planet-cage teeth Z still being clear of the pawls n; but the pawls 9 still remaining in gear with the ratchetteeth (See Fig. 2.) Upon the cord being again pulled the pawls 9' will leave the ratchet-teeth j and the'teeth Z will en age the pawls n, (see Fig. 3,) the pawlsf s'til engaging the recesses b of the driving-sleeve. (See Fig. 3.) On relaxing the cord the spring it forces back the planet-cage and gear-rin and as the teeth 0 leave the pawls n the paw s g reengage the teeth As the teethfr'ea'ch the sloping and closed ends of the recesses b they ride'up them onto the plain partof driving sleeve', while the studsk reengage the openings (1. In this way it will be seen that as one speedceases' the other instantly commences. 'Due to the beveled end of the bush i the pawls g readily reengage the teeth To prevent the pawls f striking the'end of the driving-sleeve when first inserted into the hub, the end of the driving sleevemay be beveled outward. '(See'Figs. 3 and 9.) Due to the drive being at all times and for all speeds through ratchet-and-paiivl gearing it will be seen that freewheeling will'be possible with each speed and that the planet-cage and gear-ring will remain stationary with each sp'eed whil'e free wheeling, thus greatly reducing the wear and tear onthegear-wheels.

' What I claim is 1. In variable-speed gear for velocipedes and road-vehicles, a fixed axle withlongitudinal boring and transverse slots, also with a pinion on its" exterior and a'screw-threadat each end, a cone-bearing fixed on said axle near one end, and a further cone bearing' loosely screwed ontothe other end of the'axle, a driving member fitting over said axle from the left-hand end and againstthe said fixed cone-bearing, a wheel-hub, a bush'in each end of'the hub" and one of them designed to surround the said driving member and the other designedto lie around the loose conebearing, andthus axially'support t'hehub, the driving member, the hub, its bushes and the loose cone-nut all being adjusted against the fixed cone-bearing in combination with a planet cage,"planet-gear wheels and a' gear-' ring, movable longitudinally the wheel-hub, and means whereby the planetcage'and gear-ring only on being moved to various positions, serve individually or col lectively to transmit the motion of the driving member to the hub at three different speeds, and allow of free wheeling with each speed and the planet cage and gear to remain stationary while free wheeling, substantially as set forth.

2. In variable-speed gear for velocipedes and road-motor vehicles, a fixed axle with longitudinal boring and transverse slot, also with a pinion on its exterior and a screwthread at each end, a wheel-hub with bush at one end, and said bush having ratchet-teeth on its inner periphery being beveled inwardly at its inner end and at its outer end formed to serve as one of the hub cup-bearings, a

. further bush in the other end of the hub and forming the other cup-bearing, pawls pivotally carried by said further bush, and springs for forcing the pawls slightly beyond the inner periphery of the bush, a driving member gears carried by the cage and meshing with I the gear-ring and with the planet-pinion on the fixed axle, a set of pawls pivotally carried by the gear-ring and one set designed to press outward and engage the teeth inthe said hubbush, and the other set press inward and thus project into the recesses in the driving member, when opposite thereto, or press against the plain surface of the driving member, substantially as set forth.

3. In variable-speed gear for velocipedes and road-motor vehicles, a gear-ring, pawls pivotally mounted on said ring and projecting beyond its outer periphery and pawls projecting beyond its inner periphery, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In variable-speed gear for velocipedes and road-motor vehicles, a planet-cage with ratchet-teeth in combination with a wheelhub, a cup-bearing fitting said hub, and pawls carried by the cup-bearing, as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER GUNN, PICKLES D. BAILEY. 

